Year in Review: Cabrera had a slightly down year at the plate in 2009 (wOBA of .310, compared to a career average of .317). The year started off poorly when he had a wOBA of .303 with Oakland, but it rebounded after he was traded to Minnesota when he posted a wOBA of .321. Overall, it was a fairly typical year for Cabrera, with his low strikeout rate (11% K per AB), low walk rate (5% BB per PA), and little power (.105 ISO). He only stole 13 bases after stealing at least 19 in seven of the last eight years. His normally good defense at short (3.8 UZR/150 career average) was quite poor (-13.7 UZR/150).

The Year Ahead: Cabrera was a free agent who signed a lucrative deal with the Reds to be the starting shortstop. For the Twins and A’s, he batted first or second; if he signs with a team where he will bat lower in the order his value also takes a hit. He should hit around .280, with about eight homers, 17 steals, 85 runs, and 70 RBI. The move to a good offensive park in the National League should only help his offensive numbers as he settles into his decline years. (Dave Allen)

Profile: The sun is setting on Orlando Cabrera’s career. At 37 years old, and after part-time stints with Cleveland and San Francisco in 2011, Cabrera’s looking for a full-time job in 2012 and likely won’t find one. For the fourth straight season, Cabrera saw his wOBA decline, to a career-low .254 in 2011. Never one to take a base on balls, Cabrera’s walk rate reached new lows in 2011, and his strikeout rate reached new highs. Getting old is no fun; not to experience, or to watch. If 2011 taught us anything, it’s that Cabrera can no longer catch up to a Major League fastball. Known as a winner, and a reliable defensive shortstop, even Cabrera’s glove let him down last summer. There may be a spot for Cabrera on a team’s bench in 2012, but probably not one on your fantasy team’s. (Navin Vaswani)

The Quick Opinion: Becoming a part-time player has sped up the decline of Orlando Cabrera, and 2011 was, offensively, the worst season of his career. A free agent, he might catch on with a winning, postseason-bound team to provide some depth, but he isn’t worth your fantasy consideration. And he might be in the process of filing his retirement papers right now.